website: plugins

website/source/docs/builders/custom.html.markdown

+---
+layout: "docs"
+---
+
+# Custom Builder
+
+Packer is extensible, allowing you to write new builders without having to
+modify the core source code of Packer itself. Documentation for creating
+new builders is covered in the [custom builders](/docs/extend/builder.html)
+page of the Packer plugin section.

website/source/docs/extend/plugins.html.markdown

+---
+layout: "docs"
+---
+
+# Packer Plugins
+
+Plugins allow Packer new functionality to be added to Packer without
+modifying the core source code. Packer plugins are able to add new
+commands, builders, provisioners, hooks, and more. In fact, much of Packer
+itself is implemented by writing plugins that are simply distributed with
+the Packer. For example, all the commands, builders, provisioners, and more
+that ship with Packer are implemented as Plugins that are simply hardcoded
+to load with Packer.
+
+This page will cover how to install and use plugins. If you're interested
+in developing plugins, the documentation for that is available the
+[developing plugins](#) page.
+
+Because Packer is so young, there is no official listing of available
+Packer plugins. Plugins are best found via Google. Typically, searching
+"packer plugin _x_" will find what you're looking for if it exists. As
+Packer gets older, an official plugin directory is planned.
+
+## How Plugins Work
+
+Packer plugins are completely separate, standalone applications that the
+core of Packer starts and communicates with.
+
+These plugin applications aren't meant to be run manually. Instead, Packer core executes
+these plugin applications in a certain way and communicates with them.
+For example, the VMware builder is actually a standalone binary named
+`packer-builder-vmware`. The next time you run a Packer build, look at
+your process list and you should see a handful of `packer-` prefixed
+applications running.
+
+## Installing Plugins
+
+Plugins are installed by modifying the core Packer configuration. Within
+the core configuration, each component has a key/value mapping of the
+plugin name to the actual plugin binary.
+
+For example, if we're adding a new builder for CustomCloud, the core
+Packer configuration may look like this:
+
+<pre class="prettyprint">
+{
+  "builders": {
+    "custom-cloud": "packer-builder-custom-cloud"
+  }
+}
+</pre>
+
+In this case, the "custom-cloud" type is the type that is actually used for the value
+of the "type" configuration key for the builder definition.
+
+The value, "packer-builder-custom-cloud", is the path to the plugin binary.
+It can be an absolute or relative path. If it is not an absolute path, then
+the binary is searched for on the PATH. In the example above, Packer will
+search for `packer-builder-custom-cloud` on the PATH.
+
+After adding the plugin to the core Packer configuration, it is immediately
+available on the next run of Packer. To uninstall a plugin, just remove it
+from the core Packer configuration.
+
+In addition to builders, other types of plugins can be installed. The full
+list is below:
+
+* "builders" - A key/value pair of builder type to the builder plugin
+  application.
+
+* "commands" - A key/value pair of the command name to the command plugin
+  application. The command name is what is executed on the command line, like
+  `packer COMMAND`.
+
+* "provisioners" - A key/value pair of the provisioner type to the
+  provisioner plugin application. The provisioner type is the value of the
+  "type" configuration used within templates.

website/source/layouts/docs.erb

@@ -44,15 +44,15 @@
 							<li><a href="/docs/builders/amazon-ebs.html">EC2 (AMI)</a></li>
 							<li><a href="#">VirtualBox</a></li>
 							<li><a href="/docs/builders/vmware.html">VMware</a></li>
-							<li><a href="#">Custom</a></li>
+							<li><a href="/docs/builders/custom.html">Custom</a></li>
 
 							<li class="nav-header">Provisioners</a></li>
 							<li><a href="#">Shell Scripts</a></li>
 							<li><a href="#">Custom</a></li>
 
 							<li class="nav-header">Extend Packer</li>
-							<li><a href="#">Packer Plugins</a></li>
-							<li><a href="#">Custom Builder</a></li>
+							<li><a href="/docs/extend/plugins.html">Packer Plugins</a></li>
+							<li><a href="/docs/extend/builder.html">Custom Builder</a></li>
 							<li><a href="#">Custom Command</a></li>
 							<li><a href="#">Custom Provisioner</a></li>
 						</ul>